When Sarasota was the land of Giants

New York Giants left fielder Irish Meusel a in Sarasota, during spring training in 1924.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

By JEFF LAHURDCorrespondent

Published: Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 5:11 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 5:11 p.m.

SARASOTA - This month marks the 70th anniversary of Spring Training in Sarasota and John Ringling, with his Big Apple connections, is generally credited with enticing the New York Giants to what — in 1924 — was a very small but up-and-coming town.

For his effort, the Sarasota Times enthused that Sarasota should erect a monument at Five Points with John Ringling on one side and John McGraw, the Giants manager, on the other.

In the 1920s, baseball was far and away America's favorite pastime and a boon to communities like Sarasota that were searching for name recognition.

For more than 30 straight days, from the end of February through March, daily reports would be wired to major league cities like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston, touting the charms of the communities which hosted them.

The county was four square behind the big-league effort: Calvin and Martha Payne donated 60 acres of land for a baseball field; Mayor Everett Bacon declared a public work day, and scores of citizens turned out to transform the field into a ball park — men doing the labor, women providing refreshments, children fetching materials.

Landing the New York Giants was a major coup.

With fiery John J. McGraw — dubbed “Little Napoleon” — calling the shots, this was a juggernaut team. They had won the World Series in 1921 and 1922, and the National League pennant in 1923. During the Golden Age of Sport, McGraw was one of the most widely recognized names of the day.

Cast in the national spotlight, Sarasota wanted, indeed, needed, to put its best foot forward. But miscues abound. Like a stage production which should have had more rehearsals and an out of town run through, the community seemed not to be ready for prime time.

The player's quarters were grossly inadequate. The “badly rundown” Hotel Hunton had been reserved, but could put up only 38 people and with nine bathrooms was not nearly large enough to house more than 70 players plus the accompanying newsmen.

Other lodging was sought out with a reporter attributing the problem to mixing circuses with baseball: “The circus chief always stays at the fancy hotel while the bareback riders, lion tamers, parachute performers, clowns and circus hands tarry in more modest lodgings elsewhere.”

Most of the team ended up in the newly built and luxurious Mira Mar Hotel on Palm Avenue, which had been expecting only McGraw and a few coaches.

The rest were lodged at the nearby Watrous Hotel.

McGraw had not arrived with the team as he still tarried in Havana (where there was no Prohibition) and was not expected to be pleased with what he would find in Sarasota.

Next problem was where the team would be fed.

Not expecting scores of players, the Mira Mar management had wanted to shunt them off to a small room used by the staff, but this was solved through compromise and the regular dining room was opened to the team.

With these issues resolved, The Sarasota Times defensively reported, “All of the ear oilers, joy spreaders, crepe hangers and mud slingers are pleasantly located.”

As to the weather, “We'll consider that out of our jurisdiction, so when the weather don't go off to suit you, just keep your D--- mouth shut.”

Payne Park drew mixed reviews.

While the Giants groundskeeper Henry Fabian said the nicely sod infield was the best he had seen in any league, the outfield was several inches thick with white sand, “and this horrible discovery brought dismay...” McGraw hated sand, which could cause various injuries.

As one reporter noted, “McGraw had struck sand in Gainesville and still swears softly when he thinks of it.”

The clubhouse was judged to be top notch, “with room for one hundred and well fitted with lockers, showers, baths, rubbing compartments and even a special room for McGraw painted in blue and cerise.”

An anxious chamber of commerce must have been relieved when the first reports of Sarasota wired throughout the country were mostly favorable.

In summing up the team's first impression, excepting the “grotesque tangle over hotels,” the New York Times noted that the town was “pleasant, hospitable and pretty; the fishing wonderful and the bathing superb. On the whole the Giants have no complaints to make about Sarasota.”

The team wanted to start practice on Sunday but because of the blue laws were hesitant.

Local law enforcement looked the other way and showed no inclination to send any of the players to the slammer.

McGraw, who ruled with an iron fist, still had not arrived to lord over his hot-blooded players and there had been some unwanted fraternization with the locals.

When he arrived on March 2, The Sarasota Times wondered if “maybe now some of the dames will get a little rest, 'cause this bunch of Giants is the shiekinness bunch of Giants that ever wandered our way.' They have captured the hearts of a few maidens in our midst.”

McGraw would not have been surprised at the goings-on in his absence. He once said, “One percent of baseball players are leaders of men. The other ninety-nine percent are followers of women.”

Unfortunately, the wooing of Sarasota damsels by out of town athletes brought forth the wrath of the local Ku Klux Klan.

The paper opinioned that the Klan parade “was sponsored by reason of complaints pitifully carried to them from some heretofore considered local sheik.” About 100 Klansmen formed on Central Avenue and marched in a column of twos toward Five Points, where 1,500 people had gathered to watch.

Within a few days, the town, the team and the reporters settled into a comfortable relationship, each fulfilling their responsibilities: the Giants working hard to prepare for the 1924 season and providing some spirited ball playing for the fans, the townsfolk supporting the team and the scribes sending stories of Sarasota's abundant virtues northward.

That year the Giants won the National League Championship, losing the World Series to the Washington Senators in seven games.

They would return through the 1927 season, quitting Sarasota only after McGraw's poorly timed foray into real estate went bust.

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - This month marks the 70th anniversary of Spring Training in Sarasota and John Ringling, with his Big Apple connections, is generally credited with enticing the New York Giants to what — in 1924 — was a very small but up-and-coming town.</p><p>For his effort, the Sarasota Times enthused that Sarasota should erect a monument at Five Points with John Ringling on one side and John McGraw, the Giants manager, on the other.</p><p>In the 1920s, baseball was far and away America's favorite pastime and a boon to communities like Sarasota that were searching for name recognition.</p><p>For more than 30 straight days, from the end of February through March, daily reports would be wired to major league cities like New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston, touting the charms of the communities which hosted them.</p><p>The county was four square behind the big-league effort: Calvin and Martha Payne donated 60 acres of land for a baseball field; Mayor Everett Bacon declared a public work day, and scores of citizens turned out to transform the field into a ball park — men doing the labor, women providing refreshments, children fetching materials. </p><p>Landing the New York Giants was a major coup.</p><p>With fiery John J. McGraw — dubbed “Little Napoleon” — calling the shots, this was a juggernaut team. They had won the World Series in 1921 and 1922, and the National League pennant in 1923. During the Golden Age of Sport, McGraw was one of the most widely recognized names of the day.</p><p>Cast in the national spotlight, Sarasota wanted, indeed, needed, to put its best foot forward. But miscues abound. Like a stage production which should have had more rehearsals and an out of town run through, the community seemed not to be ready for prime time.</p><p>The player's quarters were grossly inadequate. The “badly rundown” Hotel Hunton had been reserved, but could put up only 38 people and with nine bathrooms was not nearly large enough to house more than 70 players plus the accompanying newsmen.</p><p>Other lodging was sought out with a reporter attributing the problem to mixing circuses with baseball: “The circus chief always stays at the fancy hotel while the bareback riders, lion tamers, parachute performers, clowns and circus hands tarry in more modest lodgings elsewhere.” </p><p>Most of the team ended up in the newly built and luxurious Mira Mar Hotel on Palm Avenue, which had been expecting only McGraw and a few coaches.</p><p>The rest were lodged at the nearby Watrous Hotel.</p><p>McGraw had not arrived with the team as he still tarried in Havana (where there was no Prohibition) and was not expected to be pleased with what he would find in Sarasota.</p><p>Next problem was where the team would be fed.</p><p>Not expecting scores of players, the Mira Mar management had wanted to shunt them off to a small room used by the staff, but this was solved through compromise and the regular dining room was opened to the team.</p><p>With these issues resolved, The Sarasota Times defensively reported, “All of the ear oilers, joy spreaders, crepe hangers and mud slingers are pleasantly located.”</p><p>As to the weather, “We'll consider that out of our jurisdiction, so when the weather don't go off to suit you, just keep your D--- mouth shut.” </p><p>Payne Park drew mixed reviews.</p><p>While the Giants groundskeeper Henry Fabian said the nicely sod infield was the best he had seen in any league, the outfield was several inches thick with white sand, “and this horrible discovery brought dismay...” McGraw hated sand, which could cause various injuries. </p><p>As one reporter noted, “McGraw had struck sand in Gainesville and still swears softly when he thinks of it.”</p><p>The clubhouse was judged to be top notch, “with room for one hundred and well fitted with lockers, showers, baths, rubbing compartments and even a special room for McGraw painted in blue and cerise.”</p><p>An anxious chamber of commerce must have been relieved when the first reports of Sarasota wired throughout the country were mostly favorable.</p><p>In summing up the team's first impression, excepting the “grotesque tangle over hotels,” the New York Times noted that the town was “pleasant, hospitable and pretty; the fishing wonderful and the bathing superb. On the whole the Giants have no complaints to make about Sarasota.”</p><p>The team wanted to start practice on Sunday but because of the blue laws were hesitant.</p><p>Local law enforcement looked the other way and showed no inclination to send any of the players to the slammer.</p><p>McGraw, who ruled with an iron fist, still had not arrived to lord over his hot-blooded players and there had been some unwanted fraternization with the locals. </p><p>When he arrived on March 2, The Sarasota Times wondered if “maybe now some of the dames will get a little rest, 'cause this bunch of Giants is the shiekinness bunch of Giants that ever wandered our way.' They have captured the hearts of a few maidens in our midst.”</p><p>McGraw would not have been surprised at the goings-on in his absence. He once said, “One percent of baseball players are leaders of men. The other ninety-nine percent are followers of women.”</p><p>Unfortunately, the wooing of Sarasota damsels by out of town athletes brought forth the wrath of the local Ku Klux Klan.</p><p>The paper opinioned that the Klan parade “was sponsored by reason of complaints pitifully carried to them from some heretofore considered local sheik.” About 100 Klansmen formed on Central Avenue and marched in a column of twos toward Five Points, where 1,500 people had gathered to watch.</p><p>Within a few days, the town, the team and the reporters settled into a comfortable relationship, each fulfilling their responsibilities: the Giants working hard to prepare for the 1924 season and providing some spirited ball playing for the fans, the townsfolk supporting the team and the scribes sending stories of Sarasota's abundant virtues northward.</p><p>That year the Giants won the National League Championship, losing the World Series to the Washington Senators in seven games.</p><p>They would return through the 1927 season, quitting Sarasota only after McGraw's poorly timed foray into real estate went bust.</p><p><empty></p><p><empty></p>